


Congratulations

by SaraJaye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 80s Keith is VLD Keith's Brother, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - High School, Crushes, First Dates, First Kiss, Graduation, Love Confessions, M/M, Pidge totally skipped a grade, Pining Keith (Voltron), Roses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 17:12:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15845733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: Shiro gives Keith a very special graduation present.





	Congratulations

**Author's Note:**

> Shiro has two human arms in this story because it's an AU where he never got captured by evil aliens and made into their killing machine. Akira and Fala are 80s!Keith/Allura using their GoLion names.

It's no secret that Keith Kogane has been head over heels in love with Takashi Shirogane practically since they first met. It was probably one of the worst ways to meet, with Keith crashing his bike into Shiro's car and breaking a headlight, but Shiro had been so damn _nice_ about it. _It's okay, just pay me back what you can and we'll work something out for the rest._

Every day he'd come by Shiro's flat after school to do chores: gardening, cutting the grass, pruning the trees, helping with the laundry, cleaning the garage, sorting recyclables. Shiro would always have a snack or something to drink ready for him when he was finished, and if Keith got hurt, he'd patch him up.

It only took about a week for Keith to fall in love with him, but the day he realized was the day Shiro's boyfriend Adam came back from a recon mission. So Keith kept his feelings to himself, because Adam was a nice guy and Keith liked him and he wanted Shiro to be happy. Even after the pair broke up due to "irreconcilable differences" over their future, Keith pushed his feelings as far down as he could because why would a handsome military man like Shiro be interested in some kid who once broke his car?

Shiro's continued presence in Keith's life since then has been both a blessing and a curse. Keith adores Shiro, loves to spend any time he can with him. It's Shiro's advice that's gotten him through the worst of college app and exam stresses, through any difficulties with his parents or older brother. He's the reason Keith has a real circle of friends now, because Shiro's so easy to talk to it's made relating to other people easier.

But every smile, every touch to his shoulder, every exchange of words reminds Keith of what he can't have, and he finds himself sulking in the shower or listening to the worst of emo love songs at least three nights a week. None of that will change anything, but it's the only outlet he has.

It's Graduation Night at last. Pidge, the class genius, is their valedictorian, Hunk finally got the mic working so it stops doing that annoying feedback thing every time someone starts talking, and James won't shut up about the big blowout he's planning. Keith gets along better with his old enemy these days, but he's still not interested in some dumb booze party.

Keith's part of the school vocal band. They finally decided on a good graduation song, one that talks up a happy future rather than crying over the past. People are finally starting to realize that for all the memories you make in high school, it's not _that_ great.

"You and I will find some other way to celebrate, cousin," Lotor offers. Keith doesn't even know if they're actually cousins, just that Lotor's father bears some resemblance to Keith's grandmother and Keith is the only one who can tolerate Lotor after the guy cheated off Allura's exams to bring his own grades up last year. Frankly, it's a miracle he's even allowed to graduate with them.

Still, Lotor's okay. He actually seems sorry for what he did even if the rest of the group's still slow to forgive him. And his parents are nice.

"We'll see." Shiro's going to be in the audience, and if he offers to take Keith out to celebrate Keith will accept and pretend it's like a date.

"I just don't want to be near _them,_ " Lotor confides as he watches Allura and Lance exchange class rings. Apparently, Lotor had actually had feelings for Allura; while Keith was glad she'd moved on and found Lance, he did know what it was like to love someone he couldn't have. He feels a bit of sympathy for the guy.

"Maybe we'll catch a movie or something." Shiro probably wouldn't make any offers tonight, anyway.

 

The ceremony goes off without a hitch. Pidge's speech has the audience cheering, and Keith sings his heart out as he thinks of college and the classes he wants to take and how he hopes he's lucky enough to share a dorm with someone he knows. He'd take Lance's dirty socks everywhere over having to get used to a stranger.

When he goes to get his diploma, he catches his family's eye. Mom's grinning, Dad and Akira's girlfriend Fala are tearing up, and Akira himself's giving the Vulcan peace sign. Keith would be more embarrassed if some of his best memories didn't involve watching Star Trek with Akira on snowy days.

Finally, it's done and over, mortarboards tossed into the air, everyone hugging and high-fiving and cheering and Keith's so caught up in everything he doesn't notice someone weaving their way through the crowds until a familiar hand's on his shoulder.

"Mind if I borrow him for a while?" Keith's heart skips a beat. _Shiro._

"I'll see you guys later, okay?" Last night he and Lotor had decided it wouldn't hurt to go to James's party for just a while, it might be their last chance to hang out with the group before everyone splits up for the summer.

Shiro leads him away from the crowds, to a quiet spot behind the building. He's got a hand behind his back, and when he brings it forward he's holding a huge bouquet of roses. Wait, roses? And they're red, isn't that..no, no way, maybe they're pink and he's caught a case of wishful thinking.

"Congratulations, Keith." Shiro smiles. "I couldn't be prouder of you." He presses the bouquet into Keith's hands, the roses are definitely red. Keith feels his face go hot, his heart racing.

"Shiro...what's going on?" Because there's no way this is romantic. Shiro can't possibly have feelings for someone he met as a reckless high school freshman who broke his car. But Shiro's cupping his cheek, and despite his brain telling him to back away his heart's moving him forward.

Shiro's kissing him.

It's the one thing he's wanted since the day they met, and he prays he's not dreaming and about to wake up.

He pulls back, and he's not dreaming. He's still holding the flowers, Shiro's still looking into his eyes, and Keith can't help the dreamy sigh that escapes him.

"How long?" he murmurs.

"Since you were sixteen. You came back from summer camp six inches taller, your face sharper, you looked more like a man than the kid who used to do chores for me," Shiro says. "But you were still basically jailbait, so..."

"You know the age of consent's sixteen around here, right?" Keith jokes, but he gets it. "And Adam-"

"Is the one who told me to go for it tonight," Shiro cuts him off. Keith nods, he's glad that despite the breakup Shiro managed to remain good friends with the guy. (Plus, he's relieved _he_ wasn't the cause of their breakup.)

"Remind me to thank him when I can." He shifts the flowers to one hand so he can rest the other on Shiro's forearm. Shiro draws him close, hand still caressing his cheek. "I'm supposed to go to James's party tonight, but if you wanted to take me somewhere..."

"You mean a first date?" Shiro smiles. "Because that's what I was thinking. Grab a bite to eat, go to out favorite hill and watch the stars..."

"Make out?" Keith grins. "Sounds like a plan." He digs his phone out of his pocket. "I'd better tell the others something came up...and my family not to wait up for me tonight."

His phone explodes with textual cheering from the gang, and reminders from Akira that he's not "legal" until the fall. Keith honestly doesn't know if he can wait that long, but when he catches Shiro's gaze again, he imagines a summer filled with dates, kisses, watching fireworks, the open road, and that's more than enough. It's more than his teenage self ever thought he'd have.

He gets into the passenger seat of Shiro's car, Shiro turns on a soft rock station, and they drive towards town in contented silence.


End file.
